Commonly known as People’s House (Casa Poporului), these huge building, the second largest in the world after the Pentagon, today houses the Romanian Parliament. It is one of the greatest symbols of the communist era, built with great efforts and in a perfectly eclectic style.

According to NewsFive, about 400 hundred tourists visit the palace each day during the summer. Most of the tourists are Israeli, Americans or Japanese and some of them feel like applauding when the tour, which takes about 20 minutes is over. Personally, I don’t understand this attitude. Yes, it can be an impressive tour, immense rooms of an immense palace, no restraints in what luxurious details are concerned. But it is all heavy on the eyes and mind because it all seems gathered and thrown in together, no real artistic line, just lots of expensive materials showing the power of Ceausescu.

The Palace is however interesting to see, to understand and to make you think a little to how Communist leaders needed to feel a little like the aristocracy and high classes they fought against.

The NewsFive story, in Romanian only, has some very important tips for those wanting to visit the palace. A bit of irony in the story, making it sound a little less objective, but interesting nonetheless.

Free guide in all major foreign languages (Romanians should join foreign groups if they know one of the languages as guides in Romanians don’t show up that often);

Individual or group visits, no prior reservation needed. However, calling before might turn out to be a good idea, as tours are sometimes cancelled when the Palace hosts certain events such as conferences.